Invisibility is a really useful power in the movies. Whether it’s a mud-covered hero, a cloaked spaceship, or a sneaky ninja, invisibility allows people in movies to be more effectual and, often, achieve the impossible.
Invisible health problems, unfortunately, are just as potent and a lot less fun. Tinnitus, for example, is an exceptionally common condition that impacts the ears. Regardless of how good you might look, there are no external symptoms.
But just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean tinnitus doesn’t have a considerable impact on people who experience symptoms.
Tinnitus – what is it?
So we know one thing: you can’t see tinnitus. As a matter of fact, tinnitus is a condition of the ears, which means symptoms are auditory in nature. You know that ringing in your ears you sometimes hear after a rock concert or in a really silent room? That’s tinnitus. Now, tinnitus is quite common (somewhere around 25 million individuals experience tinnitus every year).
While ringing is the most common presentation of tinnitus, it isn’t the only one. Noises like humming, buzzing, crackling, clicking, and a number of others can manifest. The common denominator is that anybody who has tinnitus is hearing noises that aren’t actually there.
In most cases, tinnitus will come and go over a short period. But for somewhere between 2-5 million people, tinnitus is a persistent, sometimes debilitating condition. Sure, it can be somewhat annoying to hear that ringing for a few minutes now and then. But what if that sound doesn’t go away? it’s not hard to imagine how that might begin to significantly impact your quality of life.
Tinnitus causes
Have you ever attempted to pinpoint the cause of a headache? Maybe it’s stress; maybe you’re getting a cold; maybe it’s allergies. Lots of things can cause a headache and that’s the issue. The same is also true of tinnitus, even though the symptoms might be common, the causes are widespread.
The source of your tinnitus symptoms may, in some cases, be evident. In other cases, you may never really know. Generally speaking, however, tinnitus may be caused by the following:
- Head or neck injuries: The head and neck are extremely sensitive systems. So head injuries, particularly traumatic brain injuries (including concussions)–can end up triggering tinnitus symptoms.
- Colds or allergies: Inflammation can happen when a lot of mucus backs up in your ears. And tinnitus can be the result of this inflammation.
- High blood pressure: For some individuals, tinnitus may be the result of high blood pressure. Getting your blood pressure under control with the help of your physician is the best way to handle this.
- Meniere’s Disease: This is a condition of the inner ear that can cause a large number of symptoms. Tinnitus and dizziness are amongst the first symptoms to appear. With time, Meniere’s disease can cause irreversible hearing loss.
- Hearing loss: Hearing loss and tinnitus are often closely associated. In part, that’s because noise damage can also be a direct contributor to sensorineural hearing loss. They both have the same cause, in other words. But hearing loss can also exacerbate tinnitus, when the outside world seems quieter, that ringing in your ears can seem louder.
- Certain medications: Tinnitus symptoms can be triggered by certain over-the-counter and prescription medications. Usually, that ringing disappears once you stop taking the medication in question.
- Ear infections or other blockages: Similar to a cold or seasonal allergies, ear infections, and other obstructions can cause inflammation in the ear canal. This sometimes causes ringing in your ears.
- Noise damage: Damage from loud noises can, after a while, cause tinnitus symptoms to happen. This is so common that loud noises are one of the primary causes of tinnitus! Wearing hearing protection if exceptionally loud settings can’t be avoided is the best way to prevent this kind of tinnitus.
Treatment will clearly be simpler if you can figure out the source of your tinnitus symptoms. For example, if an earwax blockage is triggering ringing in your ears, clearing out that earwax can reduce your symptoms. Some people, however, may never recognize what’s causing their tinnitus symptoms.
How is tinnitus diagnosed?
If you have ringing in your ears for a few minutes and then it recedes, it’s not really something that needs to be diagnosed (unless it takes place frequently). Still, having regular hearing exams is always a smart plan.
But you should definitely schedule an appointment with us if your tinnitus won’t go away or if it continues to come back. We will conduct a hearing screening, talk to you about your symptoms and how they’re affecting your life, and maybe even discuss your medical history. Your symptoms can then be diagnosed utilizing this information.
How is tinnitus treated?
Tinnitus is not a condition that can be cured. But it can be addressed and it can be controlled.
If your tinnitus is a result of a root condition, such as an ear infection or a medication you’re using, then dealing with that underlying condition will result in an improvement in your symptoms. But there will be no known root condition to manage if you’re dealing with chronic tinnitus.
So managing symptoms so they have a limited impact on your life is the goal if you have persistent tinnitus. There are many things that we can do to help. Here are some of the most prevalent:
- A hearing aid: When you have hearing loss, outside sounds get quieter and your tinnitus symptoms become more apparent. In these cases, a hearing aid can help raise the volume on the rest of the world, and drown out the buzzing or ringing you may be hearing from your tinnitus.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: When it comes to cognitive behavioral therapy, we may end up referring you to a different provider. This is a therapeutic approach designed to help you not notice the ringing in your ears.
- A masking device: This is a hearing aid-like device that masks sounds instead of boosting them. These devices generate just the right amount and type of sound to make your specific tinnitus symptoms fade into the background.
We will formulate a personalized and unique treatment plan for you and your tinnitus. Helping you get back to enjoying your life by managing your symptoms is the objective here.
If you’re struggling with tinnitus, what should you do?
Even though tinnitus is invisible, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Chances are, those symptoms will only grow worse. It’s better to get ahead of your symptoms because you may be able to stop them from getting worse. At the very least, you should get yourself hearing protection for your ears, be certain you’re wearing ear plugs or ear muffs whenever you are around loud noises.
If you’re struggling with tinnitus, contact us, we can help.
